168 THE HOT-HOUSE. [Feb. 
raised with the point of a needle from the leaf, a number of eggs 
may be perceived under it, of a pale red colour,^ and very transpa- 
rent, not unlike the roe (or eggs) of fishes; but with this difference, 
that they are not connected by a membrane, but loosely packed 
together. The mother, with a parent care, not only thus broods 
over her eggs till they are hatched, but continues to protect her 
young for a considerable time after, and either dies during the time 
she is performing this last office for them, or very soon after. 
The males of both the above species are much less than the 
females, and appear very different from them; the latter, except 
just in their infant state, never assuming any other form than that 
of a scale, as already described; whereas the males of both kinds, 
in their last state, become flies; but neither of them can probably 
do any injury to the pine plants whilst they are in that form: for 
the^ies of none of the coccus kind have been found, on the strictest 
examination by the most able naturalists, to have any organ by 
which they can take in nourishment. In that state, therefore, they 
can probably continue but a short time, the whole business of their 
lives being then destined to the impregnation of the females. 
I have hitherto only taken particular notice of the round scale, 
or female insect, which is the most conspicuous, being far larger 
than the male. But a careful observer will readily perceive, where 
these scales are numerous, another set of smaller ones intermixed 
with them, which, if he be unacquainted with the natural history 
of these insects, he will hardly suspect to belong to the same 
animal, as they put on so different an appearance. They are semi- 
tubular, and their length scarcely exceeds the diameter of one of 
the small round scales, and their breadth is not more than a third 
or fourth part of their length. These, however, contain the males 
in one of their last stages, under which they assume the form of 
nymphs, and become flies. In order to be satisfied of this, a person 
need only break open, with the point of a needle, a few of these 
scales, when they are arrived at maturity, and he will perceive con- 
tained within each of them a very beautiful, but small fly, with all 
the characters of the flies of the coccus kind. 
The length of this fly, from the head to the tail, exclusive of the 
wings, and those long hairs which are so characteristic of the flies 
of this kind, is about the thirtieth part of an inch; and the length, 
including the wings when folded one over the other, exclusive of 
the hairs before mentioned, is not more than the eighteenth part of 
an inch. 
The insects of this last mentioned species are of a very perni- 
cious nature. When the pines are infested with them, there will 
be much trouble and great expense in cleansing them, even to keep 
the insects under; and notwithstanding the greatest care, the plants 
will suffer much, and in time grow veryunsightly; their leaves will 
appear yellow and sickly, and generally a great number of yellow 
transparent spots may be seen all over them. 
On the least neglect in destroying them, they will increase innu- 
merably, and so beset the lower parts of the leaves next the stem of 
the plant (where they are most numerous) with scales, as nearly 
